Financial Centres and International Capital Flows in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries

As interest in financial markets intensifies, stimulated by the financial crisis of the early twenty-first century, this book aims to enrich our understanding of the workings and history of financial centres in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, and the determinants of their success and failure.

The book brings together leading authorities in the field to examine the direction of international capital flows historically in light of the nature of the banking system, market organization, the regulatory framework, and contextual political and diplomatic factors. Contributions discuss competition, collaboration, withdrawal, and re-emergence of financial centres in Europe, America, and Asia over the past two centuries.

Written from a historical perspective but taking full account of recent studies in financial economics, the book, with contributions from leading international scholars, provides new research and approaches to a highly topical issue and sheds light on the recent financial crisis and its aftermath.

Youssef Cassis is Professor of Economic History, at the European University Institute, Florence. His work mainly focuses on banking and financial history, as well as business history more generally. His numerous publications on the subject include City Bankers, 1890-1914 (1994), Big Business: The European Experience in the Twentieth Century (1997), Capitals of Capital: A History of International Financial Centres, 1780-2005 (2006), and Crises and Opportunities: the Shaping of Modern Finance (2011).


Laure Quennouelle-Corre teaches economic and financial history at the University of Paris 1-Pantheon-Sorbonne. Her research focuses on the history of capital markets especially the Paris Bourse, and the role of financial institutions in the 20th century (the Treasury, the stock markets, and the investment banks). She is particularly involved in oral history and biographical approaches. She has recently published Politique et finance dans l'Europe du XXe siecle. Entretien avec Robert Jablon (with R. Jablon and A. Straus; P.I.E. Peter Lang, Brussels, 2010).